Day 15-July 16

Blog Day 15-July 16

This is our last full day in France, and my last day blogging.  Tomorrow we'll be on the road by six and heading to Marseille for a 10:00 AM flight to Dublin, and then a flight from Dublin to Boston.

Being my last day, I added a few extra roads to my ride and totaled 30 km, although I still stopped in Rousillon for the paper, a coffee, and a croissant.

For our 7th and last breakfast at Kevin's B&B, we had crepes stuffed with apricots, and they were fabulous...very, very light.

After breakfast we drove to Rousillon, mailed our big box, and Joni surveyed the shops, but it was too early.  

The view looking east from my coffee spot in Rousillon.

A painted doorway in Rouisillon.  Everything in Rousillon is a shade of Ochre.

We then headed east, about 45 km to Velleron to return my rental bike to Luberon Biking.  Chatted briefly with owner Hubert Flechais who asked if we would be returning next summer.  I said hopefully yes, and if we do I will definitely rent a bike again.

From Velleron we drove to Mazan, shopped for some  supplies for a picnic lunch on top of Mont Ventoux.  We picked up some quiche, pastries, apricot juice, water, and a bottle of rose from the winery in Mazan, Canterperdix.  They don't export to the US.

On the way to Ventoux, we stopped in Bedoin for some quick shopping.  I love Bedoin; it's filled with cyclists and bike shops.  Bedoin is probably the biggest launchng point for anyone riding up Ventoux.  Sault and Malaucene are the other busy bike centers.  Leaving Bedoin, we start immediately climbing toward the summit, 26  km away and 6000 feet up!  We passed lots of bikers coming up and going down.  Those descending present the biggest worry.  They're going really fast and if they take one of the many hairpins too wide.  Splat....

We stopped for our picnic about 2 km from the summit.  The temp dropped from 31 C in Bedoin to 21 C on the summit...a welcome break from the heat.   Today was exceptionally clear on the summit of Ventoux, so we really enjoyed the views and snapped a few photos.

Joni, a bite of quiche, and a lot of rose!

The summit of Mont Ventoux...looks a lot like the summit of Mount Washington, where'll I'll be on Sunday night!

We took a lavender route back to our B&B...oceans and oceans of lavender.  

I can't imagine coming here in other months when there's no lavender.  By the time we got to  our B&B, the temp  had risen to 36 C...which is pushing 95+.  That's AFRICA HOT.

Definitely taking a swim before dinner.

For dinner we drove about 20 km to the tiny village of Les Baumettes.  We had a wonderful meal, and a very fitting last supper in France.  The restaurant was called, "Le Fleur de Sel"

Here are pix of the menu and our courses:

That's it for my blog.  This trip was wondeful; Joni's planning really paid off.  See you soon!

Day 14-July 15

Only two days left in France...gotta make the most of our final days.  Two weeks really goes by fast!

Took a different route on today's ride.  Got to see a hot air balloon landing over a field as the farmers was driving by on his tractor.  Really cool.

Trust me, there's a hot air ballon and a farmer on a tractor in this picure.  

This is the boulangerie in Rousillon where I get a croissant beure and a cafe au lait every morning.  My rented bike is on the right

After today's breakfast at our B&B of fresh grapefruit  juice, watermelon cubes with yogurt, pain au chocolat, and a goat cheese quiche, we headed to the market in Vaison la Romaine, a town filled with Roman ruins, which is about 65 km to the northeast of here.  The drive over the Monts de Vaucluse plateau was a slow one with probably 100 hairpins, but around every corner there was a beautiful sight.  Below is a view of Mont Ventoux, just outside the village of Bedoin.

We arrived in Vaison around 11, leaving only two  hours to browse the market since it closes at 1 pm.  This is Joni's favorite market, so she went into high gear, so we separated immediately and agreed to meet at 1 pm.  I browsed up and down all the stalls, buying nothing other than a newspaper which I read at a cafe.  These are shots of the ruins in Vaison and the surrounding mountains.

At 1 pm we regrouped and went to lunch at a nearby cafe that Joni had researched, of course.  We shared a 1/2 bottle of rose (hey, it's only lunch time), and both ordered a beef brochette with a pepper sauce. We skipped dessert, knowing that we'd stop for ice cream on the way back to the B&B.  As we walked back to our car we did a little more shopping; by the time we got to the car Joni's bag was full!

Stopping for ice cream at a spot not too far out of town, at the Chocolaterie du Cresset.  Wonderful ice cream and an engaging conversation with the clerk, who teaches English.  She helped us with our pronunciations of such words as myrtille (blueberries).

Got back to our  B&B around 5 pm after our GPS took us into some heavy traffic and closed roads in the busy town of Carpentras.  Our first real GPS problem...which was silly since we know this area.  No big deal.   Rested, and re-organized some of our things since we'll be heading home on Thursday.  To  make room for all our souvenirs, we've purchased a French Post Office box that allows you to put as much weight as you can into a box the size of two large shoe boxes.  Very important to place just the right items in this mailer since we were close to being over the weight limit on our flight over here.

Tuesday night dinner was at the L'Auberge Fiacre  officially in the town of Goult, but it's really in the middle of nowhere along the D900 which is the main two lane road that runs along the center of the Luberon valley.  It's truly an auberge, a roadside tavern for travellers. 

The chef told us he has only been cooking for 3 months, but he cooks like a master.  For starters Joni had an artichoke dish and I had a raw fish and vegetable tartar.  

We had the same dish, steak with an onion chantilly...magnique.  

For desert Joni had a chocolate dome and I enjoyed an apricot tarte.  

Coffee came with two additional little  seats that the chef personally made...most places just give you a cellophane wrapped cookie.  Our wine tonight was red...from a local  vineyard.  It was so good forgot to take pictures of our cookies.

 

 

Day 13-July 14

Last night we had a great dinner in nearby Villars.  We've eaten at this restaurant each time we've been here for the past three years.  It's small, cozy, relaxing...right off a movie set...and the food is great.

After dinner we drove in our village, Saint Saturnin-les-Apt, to check out the local street festival.  It was a hoot, as we approaced a French singer was belting out "New York, New York".  A few couples were dancing, and lots of kids were  doing their thing...chasing each other...just like home.

It's Bastille Day in France.  They don't celebrate as much as we do in the US, usually village festivals and fireworks.  Nationally they have a big military parade in Paris which looks like something you'd see in North Korea or Russia, but the French don't dress up in red, white, & blue, or display lots of flags.  

Our private courtyard outside our room.   

Anyway after  our regular breakfast routine we were in the car by 10:30 and off to stop in the village of Murs and Joucasa which are both in the Monts de Vaucluse range.  Both are charming and of course are on hilltops with great views into the Luberon valley.  We stopped at a terrace cafe in Joucasa for a coffee, and just plain relaxing.  The view from this cafe is so serene, we didn't want to leave.

But we did and headed for the village of Fountaine de Vaucluse which is located at the source of an incredibly fast flowing spring.  This place is gorgeous and the photos speak for themselves. We visited a museum that's dedicated to Resistance during WW 2.  It was very moving and we thought Bastille Day was a very appropriate time to visit it, although we were the only ones there.

After the museum we had lunch at a breathtaking terrace cafe that sits right on the river.  The water is so clear, so the green in the photos comes from the plant life below.  Our meal was very good:  we both had pork for a main disk, I had a risoto with escargo for a starter, and Joni had a salad.  And for desert we both had a pistachio tarte with raspberries, boysenberries, and vanilla ice cream.

We stopped in Gordes on the way back to the B&B for some souvenir hunting, and we caught the last 15 km of the Tour which was being streamed live on the internet.

Got a swim in before dinnner and then we headed to  the town of  Goult to a retaurant called Le Carillon.  We had a great table, outside, and overlooking the town square.  

Joni had scallops and I had steak. Mine was great, but didn't photograph well; Jon's looked and tasted great.  We also shared a cheese plate, a bottle of rose, and dessert.  A delightful meal in a delightful setting.   

Day 12-July 13

Followed my usual morning routine, up at 6:30, on my bike by 7:15 for a ride,  returned, showered, and at the breakfast table by 9:00.  Ratatouie omelets were on today's menu, and they were delicious.

Check out the hay bales to the right of me...looks like a tractor.

By 10, we were in our car and heading south to Arles, where Van Gogh lived from 1888-1890.  The drive was highlighted by fields and fields of sunflowers, and by 11:15 we were parking our car in front of the actual building Van Gogh portrayed in is painting"Jaune Maison". 

Actually, this isn't my car...but I wish it was!

We went to Arles in order to go the the Van Gogh museum which has been closed for several years, so we were really excited to see some of his paintings in the flesh.  In Arles there is a great walking tour of the city that takes you to a number of the scenes that Van Gogh painted.  We really enjoyed it when we visited Arles previously.  In addition to being the home of Van Gogh, Arles is known for its very well preserved Roman ruins, including an arena that is still used for bullfighting and an amphitheater that is also still in use. 

After parking the car we stopped at a cafe for a coffee and mini pain au chocolat.  As we sat at the cafe we enjoyed a great view of the Roman amphitheater.  We lucked out with crowds in Arles; I think because it was Sunday.  

Arles is considered to be the photographers capitol of France and we were actually cautioned about visiting Arles this week due to the annual photographers festival was going on.  The line to get into one of the major photography exhibits was very long, so we were worried as we approached the Van Gogh museum, but there was no line at all. In addition to having nine of Van Gogh's painting there is one by Monet, one by Gaguin, and one by Corot.  It was far less crowded than the Boston MFA, so we felt we could stand right in front of the paintings as long as we wanted, and we did.   Seeing these paintings in person is such a thrill, I kept saying to myself, and Joni, "I can't believe I'm this close to a real Van Gogh.

After leaving the museum we went directly to the restaurant we'd chosen for lunch.  When we arrived at 11:15 we made a reservation for 1:15, and had we not done so we would not have been served.  Many French restaurants only have one seating for lunch or dinner, so they fill up easily.  As we dined we saw countless customers attempt to get a table to no avail.

Our meal was fabulous.  Joni had lamb chops, and I had a swordfish/tuna carpacio for a starter, and grilled calamari for my main dish.  No wine or dessert this time. 

After lunch we did some souvenir hunting...still looking for a cigale (cricket) that chirps.  The one in my office lost it's voice and I want to replace it.  It's a great conversation piece for any student that's visiting me.

We drove straight back to the B&B, no stops, and then watched the final 30 km of today's stage of the Tour.

Tonight we're dining in the village of Villars, which is only 4 km from here.  It's a tiny village with only one restaurant.  We've been there twice before, so we're looking forward to a great meal.

Day 11-July 12

Another beautiful day in Provence.  Up at 6:30, on bike by 7:00, again rode to Rousillon where I enjoyed l'Equipe, a croissant, and a cofffee while overlooking the ochre cliffs and the Luberon farmland below.  Back at Le Mas Perreal in time to shower before breakfast.  Kevin and Elizabeth serrved waffles with apricots today. Yummy!

We took the "Lavender Route" to the village of Sault which sits a the foot of Mont Ventoux.  The window for viewing lavender in Provence is much like foliage season in New Hampshire.  You can never predict exactly when it will come and it varies depending on elevation.  We hit the jackpot.  Absolutely incredible!

In Sault, I read the paper at an outdoor cafe while Joni shopped.  We had a 1:00 pm reservation for lunch, so we really could enjoy a leisurely morning.

 For lunch we returned to the Bistrot de Lagarde, which was one of the few places that we liked so much last visit that we decided to return.  This place is in truly in the middle of nowhere; it's about 15 km from the nearest town, located on the summit plateau of the Monts de Vaucluse, which is a range that runs East-West, parallel to the Luberon.  The restaurant is in a modern building by European standards, and it sits on property that was once part of a nuclear missile bunker.  You can still see the abandoned missile silos.  Weird!

This restaurant also has earned a star in the Michelin guide, and it is rated first in the area on Trip Advisor.  Below is the menu, and photos of most of the courses.  Looking at the menu, the only choice you're offered is between two main dishes, all the starters and desserts are automatic.  I had the goat, and Joni had the fish.

Yes, we were each served all three of these appetizers!

Joni's main dish.  They ran out of the original fish that was supposed to be included, bonito, so the substituted tuna...it wasn't chicken of the sea.

My main dish; goat in a variety of forms.

And yes, we were each served all three of these desserts too!  This is total gluttony...but good!

After this incredible meal, we drove to nearby Simiane le Rotonde to purchase some pottery that we have been continually buying for the past seven years, and then we returned to our B&B. 

Dinner tonight will be simple:  a baguette, some camembert, some rose wine, and a chocolate bar.

...oh yeah, and to top it all, the rose matched my shirt!